News

BSG Management guidance on coeliac disease

A new position on the management of coeliac disease is now available on the British Society of Gastroenterology website.

The cornerstone of treatment of coeliac disease is the strict gluten-free diet. Patients require regular dietetic support with the opportunity or access to a gastroenterologist should further problems arise. Follow-up may be in primary or secondary care as long as the support is adequate.

This paper gives important guidance to support healthcare professionals in treating people with coeliac disease.

Research funded by coeliac UK has been published.

Results are now available for a UK population survey comparing the quality of life of individuals before and after diagnosis of coeliac disease.

The study shows that symptoms of undiagnosed coeliac disease are associated with a largely reduced quality of life. These results reinforce the importance of improved methods of detection and diagnosis of coeliac disease which we are continuously campaigning for.

You can read the fully published study here.  

Gray A & Papanicolas I (2010) Impact of symptoms on quality of life before and after diagnosis of coeliac disease: results from a UK population survey. BMC Health Services Research. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/10/105

Gluten-free diet in Autism

A great deal of interest has been generated in the use of gluten-free/casein-free diets in the management of children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Children with ASD can have selective eating and may therefore limit their diet as a result of their disorder. If the majority of the foods acceptable to the children contain gluten or casein such as bread and milk, removing gluten from the diet could lead to a very restrictive intake.

The book ‘Getting your kid on a gluten-free and casein-free diet’ written by Susan Lord, an American dietitian, was reviewed in May’s edition of ‘ Dietetics Today’ the British Dietetic Association magazine.

The book covers the nutritional requirements for children and the concerns associated with a restrictive diet and how to overcome this challenge. It gives practical information which could be used for families that have chosen to use a gluten-free diet as a treatment for ASD.

There is insufficient scientific evidence to support the routine use of gluten-free/casein-free diets in children with ASD. Coeliac UK recommends anyone wishing to follow a gluten-free/casein-free diet should do so with close supervision from their healthcare team and a registered dietitian. If the child is going to be tested for coeliac disease it is important that a normal diet which contains gluten is eaten before and during the testing process.

Gluten-free options for eating out for your patients

Starbucks

Eating “on the go” is a major challenge for people with coeliac disease and nowhere more so than in the High Street. Starbucks have recently launched a gluten-free tuna salad sandwich using Genius Gluten-Free bread. The sandwich is the only tuna sandwich that Starbucks sell and whilst it is marked as gluten-free, it sits alongside other sandwiches. All sandwiches are separately wrapped so there is no risk of cross-contamination and it seems that as the sandwich looks like a “normal” tuna sandwich, it is being enjoyed by people with and without coeliac disease.

Future plans include changing the sandwich filling every couple of months to provide variety, and if the sandwich proves popular enough, the range may be extended.

Awareness Week Events

Our second Free for Tea? Awareness Week has been a fantastic success and we’re really pleased to have seen such a high level of activity.

Whether it was engaging with their local hospital, eatery or National Trust property, our Members and Local Voluntary Support Groups have been out and about working to raise awareness of coeliac disease in their local areas.

We are very grateful to everyone who got involved and helped to raise awareness of coeliac disease in their community.  To see what some of our Members have been involved with please visit our photo gallery.

Coeliac UK Parliamentary Reception

We held a Parliamentary reception on 24 June to engage with the new intake of MPs in Westminster.  This was an important part of securing support for our activities in the new Parliament.

Our Ambassadors Dr Chris Steele MBE and celebrity chef Phil Vickery spoke to the attendees about the challenges facing people with coeliac disease.  The focus of the event was the issue of under diagnosis of coeliac disease. 

Motion tabled in Scottish Parliament

Members of the Scottish Parliament are signing up to a Motion in support of our Free for Tea? campaign. 

A Motion is a statement which MSPs can sign up to and support.  It is an important tool to raise awareness of coeliac disease and the gluten-free diet amongst policy makers. 

So far the Motion has 23 signatories. 

Coeliac UK Store Tours 

Over the next few months several dietitians around the country will be running supermarket store tours. These are to help people who are newly diagnosed with coeliac disease to read labels, provide information on the new labelling laws, and give tips on how to eat healthily on a gluten-free diet. If successful, more tours will run across the UK next year. 

Thank you to everyone who volunteered for this project and good luck if you are running a Coeliac UK store tour in your local area.